NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 |
June 4, 2003
Release Number: 03-06-11
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY (June 4, 2003)
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait - Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq through the following activities.
Northern and Central Iraq
Coalition Forces recently
- Conducted the Coalition's 9th Task Force Neighborhood mission in the Al Baaya neighborhood, which:
-- Removed 22 truckloads (about 440 tons) of trash from around local soccer fields and schools.
-- Provided dental care to 39 civilians.
-- Assessed and provided support to local medical facilities.
-- Verified the clearance of unexploded ordnance at several sites, located three sites for further excavation and removal.
-- Provided security and helped local police stop a bank robbery nearby.
-- Repaired an exterior wall of a school
-- Rewired a local school and are almost finished re-wiring a fire department building.
-- Established primary electrical power to the school.
-- Welded three school gates.
-- Repaired 12 desks and built three shelving units for the Al Baaya school.
-- Handed out over 100 Beanie Babies to children at a school and to children receiving dental treatment.
-- Graded two local soccer fields, and filled in two old fighting positions.
- Opened an Iraqi amusement park in Baghdad.
- Hosted an advisory council meeting in Baghdad, and reports a propane facility manager will begin production of 5,000 bottles of LPG per day.
- Received 162 benzene and 45 propane trucks in Northern Iraq from Turkey today; 56 trucks entered Iraq from Syria.
- Task Force Neighborhood personnel met with contractors yesterday in Mosul to pick up bids from local contractors for nine schools, a soccer field, the city park, and the market area.
- Held a governor's town meeting in Ar Ramadi to discuss unemployed military in the area, and plans to provide jobs in the area.
- Cleared four roads and continues to gravel three major dirt roads in Mosul.
- Administered 1200 measles vaccinations to children in Kirkuk.
- Held a governor's town meeting in Ar Ramadi to discuss unemployed military in the area and plans to provide jobs in the area.
- Reported a 247-truck World Food Program convoy (5,800 tons of food) arrived from Turkey to deliver food in Dohuk, Mosul, Erbil and Sulaymaniwah. Also reported a World Food Program convoy of 261 trucks arrived from JORDAN to deliver food to Babil, Diyala, Wasit and Najaf.
- Reported the World Health Organization/World Visions Medical kit was delivered to the Ar Rutbah medical clinic. The second medical kit will be delivered to Al Q'aim this coming week.
- Examined and photographed damaged sections of the perimeter wall of the University of Tikrit to estimate the cost of repairs. The staff of the college is preparing a detailed list of necessary repairs and stolen items to be replaced for project and funding proposals.
SOUTHERN IRAQ
AN NASARIYAH
- Reported that U.S and Republic of Korea preventive medicine units will provide equipment to assist Dhi Qar Health Directorate with sand fly abatement . Spraying will begin in An Nasiriyah early next week, and will include Al Shatra, Chabaish, Suq Al Shuyukh and Al Raffai.
AL KUT
- Reported the acquisition of several former Iraqi trash vehicles, and reported the sanitation system is operating at better than pre-war levels with 56 of 57 sewage pumps in the Wasit province currently operational.
- Met with Al Kut agriculture officials to discuss crop issues, and report status of wheat and barley harvest to ensure it is on track for mid-June completion.
- Met with the Director of Public Works to discuss security of facilities, uniforms for employees, funding and trash collection.
- Reported local power workers continue to work on the reconstruction of the four electrical towers to hold the 400 kilo-volt power lines. Al Kut is currently receiving between 20 and 40 megawatts of power daily.
- Reported good progress in repairs at the former Iraqi Army water treatment plant.
- Worked with U.S. Navy engineers to purchase supplies on the local economy for the local model school project in which locals will assist.
- Coordinated to have the Navy Seabees remove a military berm to increase useable space at the Saif Al Qaed primary school.
AN NAJAF
- Reviewed and finalized the registration process for the upcoming election with the local election committee, established an oversight committee and is requesting final scheduling of elections for late June.
- Assisted the police and fire department in the recovery of five local men who died in a well from hydrogen sulfide gas poisoning.
AL HILLAH
- Paid salaries to the fire and education departments and bankers.
AL AMARAH
- Reported the World Food Program began their distribution and have agreed to continue to provide security oversight for convoys.
- Initiated efforts to procure quick impact project funds to refurbish the local drug store.
AL BASRAH
- Worked with a contractor on the plan to refurbish 225 of the local schools.
UMM QASR
- Assessed an ice factory at Umm Qasr, determining it needs ammonia; a generator, pump repair, and a through cleaning. The manager was not available. The factory used to employ about ten people.
- Met with the Town Council of Umm Qasr and the local education official to discuss a proposal to refurbish and re-equip the schools, coordinate security of construction materials and to evaluate the availability of local labor and materials.
- Reported a small commercial ship was offloaded in the port on Tuesday, which contained tires, beverages, and cooking oils.
AL HILLAH
- Worked with the Governance Support Team, the local mayoral counsel and select members of the community town council on composition and election matters.
- Met with a branch of the Interior Ministry to discuss the National Payment Plan.
AS SAMAWAH
- Reported power has been restored to 60 megawatts, which exceeds pre-war conditions.
- Assessed several more schools, and reported U.S. Navy engineers started another school project by installing lighting and rewiring the building.
- Continued payments to approximately 100 sanitation workers, as part of a step-by-step plan to clean the city and move the landfill away from Highway 8.
- Continued efforts to create a reformed city council stop tribal nepotism and screen out prior regime holdovers.
- Continued coordination efforts to establish water flow from Al Hillah and Ad Diwaniyah to irrigate Muthanna District's rice crop.
Explored continuing improvements to a concrete bridge over the Euphrates that was destroyed during the Gulf War. The bridge joins the two sides of Al Khidr.
Reports the Municipality Sanitation Department is fixing critical equipment with seized Iraqi funds.
- Reports a project is being submitted to temporarily fund the municipality's operational budget.
- Delivered 15 trucks of benzene to the cities of Samawah, Kadir, and Ramathia
AD DIWANIYAH
- Screened and processed 188 teachers and headmasters with a questionnaire in an effort to determine Ba'ath party affiliantions.
- Met the Grain Board manager at the building supply warehouse to arrange for doors, glass and sinks to repair Grain Board offices.
- Reported that the World Food Program distribution is going well in the governate.
KARBALA
- Translated Streets Department documents to help acquire funding for municipal vehicle parts.
- Received the initial funding for cleaning the aeration tank at the sewage plant.
- Began construction on the central ventilation system at the Al Hussayn Hospital Pediatric.
- Met with the president of the university to discuss the long-term plan for curriculum, teacher salaries/wages, and overall opportunities to improve schools.
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